Odds & Ends: Gonzalez, Halladay, Rangers
Here's some links to kick off the week…
- Bill Center of The San Diego Union Tribune reports that the Padres haven't contacted John Boggs (Adrian Gonzalez's agent) to discuss a contract extension yet, mentioning that Gonzalez could be an $18-20MM player. FanGraphs valued Adrian's 2009 performance at $28.4MM, tenth best among position players.
- The Toronto Star's Richard Griffin looks at some potential suitors for Roy Halladay, saying that there are ten teams that meet the necessary criteria to make a deal work.
- Meanwhile, Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe touches on two players figured to be tied to the Red Sox this winter: Gonzalez and Halladay.
- T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com writes that the Rangers have plenty of trade fodder thanks to their pitching, and they may be willing to deal someone like Brandon McCarthy.
- Scott Lauber of The News Journal looks at some third base options for the Phillies.
- Ken Davidoff of Newsday ranks the ten best general managers, with Billy Beane taking the top spot for the second year in a row.
- John Lowe of The Detroit Free Press takes a look at the key free agents in the AL Central.
- MLBTR's own Cork Gaines analyzes how the Rays have fared in free agency during Andrew Friedman's tenure.
- J.C. Bradbury defends his stance that just because there are more available free agents at a given position, it doesn't mean their prices wil drop.
Cafardo On Gonzalez, Nady, Mulder
Nick Cafardo's latest column for the Boston Globe is a lengthy one, and is full of hot stove discussion and speculation. Let's take a look….
- After Ken Rosenthal expressed skepticism about Boston's ability to acquire Adrian Gonzalez from the Padres, Cafardo declares that it's the one move the Red Sox have to make to keep up with the Yankees. Although he presents a lengthy argument for why it could work, he never specifically addresses what players the Sox could send to San Diego, which was the sticking point for Rosenthal.
- Xavier Nady would like to return to the Yankees, but doesn't know if they'll want him back. "I know I can go out there and be a productive starting player for someone," Nady says. As Cafardo points out though, after Nady's injury-plagued 2009, many teams would probably prefer to sign him as a fourth outfielder.
- Cafardo thinks the Los Angeles Dodgers should consider signing Pedro Martinez to a half-year deal in 2010, and that Philadelphia could be a good fit for Billy Wagner.
- The Jeremy Hermida acquisition raises questions about Rocco Baldelli's future as a Red Sox. Baldelli says he enjoyed Boston and would love to return, but that the team hasn't informed him of their plans yet.
- "It would be an upset" if Mark Mulder signed anywhere but Milwaukee.
- One baseball official tells Cafardo that the New York Yankees might be a bit reluctant to re-sign Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui because "they’re afraid of sticking with a guy too long. They’d rather get rid of a guy a year sooner, ahead of his decline, than a year later."
Rosenthal On Gonzalez, Beckett, De La Rosa
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has a new column up today, in which he discusses a variety of topics from around the league. Let's recap a few of the highlights….
- Although the Boston Red Sox have been the team most frequently linked to Adrian Gonzalez, it's unclear whether they have the pieces to work out a trade. Rosenthal suggests the Padres will want some major-league talent in return, and quotes one baseball executive who says he can't imagine how the Sox get a deal done.
- Rosenthal says the Padres should be more inclined to move closer Heath Bell than Gonzalez.
- When Josh Beckett discusses a contract extension with the Red Sox, Rosenthal advises him to point to the deal A.J. Burnett signed last winter as a starting point, since Beckett's track record is even stronger than Burnett's. He thinks if the Red Sox were to balk at a long-term commitment, plenty of other teams would be interested.
- A source indicates that when Jorge De La Rosa hits free agency in a year, he would like a contract similar to Oliver Perez's three-year, $36MM deal. It's hard to see him demanding that much unless he has a breakout year in 2010, but his impending raise could prompt the Rockies to field trade offers for the lefty.
- Ken Griffey Jr. will likely decide in a couple weeks whether he wants to keep playing.
- According to Rosenthal, "some who know [Matt] Holliday say he would prefer not to play in New York."
- We heard from Troy Renck yesterday that the Rockies were talking to Rafael Betancourt about an extension. Rosenthal reports that Betancourt apparently turned down a two-year deal worth up to about $7MM.
- Rosenthal opines that Garrett Atkins is unlikely to be traded because of his price tag, and will almost certainly be non-tendered.
Rogers On Chapman, Vazquez, Valentine, Gonzalez
Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune looks at a few hot stove topics from around the league in his latest article. Here are some of his thoughts:
- He speculates that the Seattle Mariners' interest in Aroldis Chapman stems from their desire to still have a front-line starter if they eventually decide to move Felix Hernandez.
- Rogers is skeptical that the two Chicago teams have the resources to compete seriously in the Chapman sweepstakes. Be sure to check out MLBTR's complete Chapman review.
- With Tim Hudson on the verge of re-signing with the Braves, Ken Rosenthal indicated that Javier Vazquez or Derek Lowe could be shopped for a bat. Rogers suggests it'll be Vazquez that's put on the trading block.
- Bobby Valentine could be out of the mix for a major-league managerial spot this season, as the Washington Nationals look likely to give Jim Riggleman their full-time gig.
- Rogers thinks it's "wishful thinking" to expect new Padres GM Jed Hoyer to deal Adrian Gonzalez to Hoyer's former employer, the Boston Red Sox.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Red Sox, Rays, Doumit, Gonzalez, Cubs
On this date two years ago, the Yankees signed Joe Girardi to a three-year deal worth $7.5MM. Two years later, Girardi has the Yankees in the World Series. With the offseason now just days away, many players will be looking for their own new deals. Let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…
- The Bottom Line projects the Red Sox 2010 payroll and what they need to do to get back on top.
- Fire Brand of the American League looks at shortstop options for the Red Sox.
- Dodgers Rumors breaks down the Dodgers' 2010 roster and how they may approach free agency.
- Rays Index projects the Rays 25-man and 40-man rosters as well as the 2010 payroll.
- New Bucs says it is time for the Pirates to trade Ryan Doumit.
- Mets Fans Forever speculates on what it might take for the Mets to land Adrian Gonzalez.
- The Cub Reporter suggests some players for the Cubs to target this offseason, including Kelvim Escobar and Akinori Iwamura.
- World Series Dreaming doesn't see any major changes coming to the Cubs this off-season.
- Around the Majors breaks down the free agents at third base.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.
Jed Hoyer Notes
Jed Hoyer was introduced as the new GM of the Padres yesterday at a press conference. Notes from the day:
- Hoyer signed a four-year contract with a club option for 2014, according to Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
- Tim Sullivan of the U-T quotes Hoyer saying, "I want to build from within." He does not want to rely on trades and free agent signings. Talking to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, Hoyer also expressed a desire to tailor the Padres to win at Petco.
- Jim Callis of Baseball America says the Padres' farm system "still lacks high-ceiling players" despite a solid 2009 draft.
- VP of scouting and player development Grady Fuson was fired, according to Center. CEO Jeff Moorad said he anticipates "more movement on the baseball side." Tom Krasovic heard that scouting director Bill Gayton will not return.
- Hoyer told Cafardo long-term contract discussions for Adrian Gonzalez are "definitely on the docket." The new Padres GM also gave Cafardo his thoughts on dealing with Theo Epstein in the future.
- The Red Sox will "spread out [Hoyer's] duties among top members of the front office," according to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald. Also, Silverman feels that former Padres GM Kevin Towers could be open to a West Coast scouting job for the Red Sox but would be unlikely to move to the East Coast for a non-GM position.
Odds & Ends: Ricciardi, Sabathia, Chapman
Links for Monday…
- Former Padres GM Kevin Towers told Bill Madden of the New York Daily News recently "it's just a matter of when" the team trades first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.
- The Astros claimed outfielder Jason Bourgeois off waivers from the Brewers, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart via Twitter. Bourgeois, 28 in January, hit .316/.354/.401 in Triple A while playing all three outfield positions. In other Brewers-related news, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel says the team retained Mike Burns and Adam Stern on minor league deals.
- Don Mattingly is discussing his future with the Dodgers, according to ESPN's Buster Olney.
- I missed this October 5th article from Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun. Elliott talked to former Blue Jays president Paul Godfrey, who was frank in his opinions of ex-GM J.P. Ricciardi.
- Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times says the Angels bid $140MM for C.C. Sabathia last winter, but Olney says "the Angels bid a firm $100MM and discussed increasing their offer to $120MM."
- Andy Pettitte admitted to Kevin Baxter of the L.A. Times, "I think everybody knows I wasn't real happy with the contract. But I wanted to take it and come back here and have a chance to do this." Pettitte ended up earning about $10MM in 2009, but only $5.5MM was guaranteed.
- ESPN's Jorge Arangure Jr. says on Twitter that Aroldis Chapman "had good conversations" with Yankees GM Brian Cashman and other team execs at yesterday's game. Meanwhile, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian says that Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos finds signing Chapman unrealistic for his club. Logically, the Chapman bidding should heat up after the World Series. The 21-year-old lefty is meeting with the Cardinals, Orioles, and Red Sox this week.
- Aaron Gleeman says it's reasonable for fans to call for Twins closer Joe Nathan to be traded, but not because he allowed a postseason home run to Alex Rodriguez.
- NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman says reliever Scott Atchison hopes to return to MLB in 2009. Atchison, 34 in March, elected free agency in November of 2007 after posting a 4.11 ERA in 30.6 relief innings for the Giants.
- Jim Seip of the York Daily Record writes about the beginning of Ken Rosenthal's career.
- John Bonnes attempted to extract info about Joe Mauer's future with the Twins, talking to GM Bill Smith.
Cafardo on Gonzalez, Martinez, Webb, Lackey
In his column today, the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo brings us a great deal of tidbits from around the majors:
- Former Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi and ex-Padres GM Kevin Towers will "likely surface somewhere soon."
- Cafardo wonders aloud if new Padres GM Jed Hoyer could work out a deal with his former club and send Adrian Gonzalez to Boston. One AL GM identified Gonzalez and Heath Bell as major chips that could be moved as part of a rebuilding effort. Hoyer is obviously familiar with Boston's assets, but Theo Epstein might be reluctant to part with Casey Kelly, Clay Buchholz and Daniel Bard.
- Boston must act on Victor Martinez's $7.1MM option within five days of the World Series ending, but Cafardo wonders if they would prefer to sign him to a long-term deal in advance of Joe Mauer's talks with the Twins. Martinez's rep says that he and his client are "up for either scenario."
- If the Red Sox choose to part ways with Jason Varitek ($5MM club option or $3MM player option for '10), there are a number of options available to the BoSox to replace him. One player mentioned is Rays catcher Gregg Zaun, whose $2MM option may not be picked up. Zaun has already said that he wants to return to Tampa Bay in 2010.
- The "latest thinking" indicates that Arizona will pick up Brandon Webb's $8.5MM option as his rehab from shoulder surgery is reportedly going well.
- John Lackey is in line for a big contract this winter, but it doesn't appear that he'll get it from the Angels. The Angels could instead use that money on an upgrade over Brian Fuentes. Cafardo says to look for the Rangers and Mets to show interest.
- More on the Angels as Vladimir Guerrero could stay on with the club if he is willing to take a reasonably priced one-year deal. Guerrero has already publicly stated his desire to remain with the Halos.
- It will be difficult for the Phillies to find the cash necessary to retain Pedro Martinez.
- Dan Duquette was considered for the Blue Jays CEO/President position but doesn't appear to be atop current CEO Paul Beeston's list.
Red Sox Notes: Hoyer, Ellsbury, Okajima
Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald shares a few of his thoughts about the Red Sox hot stove. Here are some highlights:
- With Jed Hoyer taking the reins as the Padres' GM and Kevin Towers having been offered a position in Boston, Silverman thinks Adrian Gonzalez trade talks will restart in the offseason. Given how well Hoyer knows the Red Sox farm system, talks could progress faster than they have in the past.
- Silverman says, though, that Hoyer's history with Boston doesn't necessarily mean a trade will happen. He points to former Epstein assistant and current Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes, and notes that Arizona and Boston haven't made a significant deal since Byrnes was hired.
- If the Padres decide to hang on to Gonzalez, the Red Sox could potentially turn to Prince Fielder or Miguel Cabrera in their search for a power-hitting corner infielder.
- Jacoby Ellsbury's below average defense in center (he posted a -12.3 UZR/150 in 2009) has the Red Sox thinking of moving him to left field.
- If the team were to move Ellsbury to left (Silverman doesn't expect they will), it would be more difficult to find a replacement center fielder than a left fielder. Silverman thinks Boston should keep an eye on Carlos Beltran's situation in New York, given the Mets' struggles this year and the fact that Beltran would likely only be about $2MM more expensive per season than someone like Jason Bay.
- Hideki Okajima is eligible for arbitration, but his contract states that he must be made an offer by November 10, so expect that to happen within a couple weeks.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Gonzalez, Thome, Hinske, Red Sox, D’Backs, Twins
On this date 64 years ago, the Dodgers announced the signing of Jackie Robinson, who would become the first African-American to play major league baseball since the 1880s. Robinson would spend the '46 season with Triple-A Montreal, hitting .349. The next season he would hit .297/.383/.427 and help the Dodgers to the National League pennant. With the Hot Stove season only days away, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…
- Sox and Pinstripes looks at what it would take for the Red Sox to land Adrian Gonzalez.
- Phlavio's Corner attempts to fix the Diamondbacks in three moves or less.
- Around the Majors takes a look at the free agent class of shortstops.
- MLB Notebook breaks down the market for Jim Thome.
- Nick's Twins Blog makes an off-season blueprint for the Twins and projects next season's roster.
- Capitol Avenue Club examines what the Braves can do to reload the bullpen in 2010.
- Talking Chop says the Braves need to add a power-bat this off-season, in part to protect Chipper Jones.
- Marlin Maniac sees Eric Hinske as a good fit for the Marlins.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.